Kate’s Topshop fans fail to net a fortune on eBay

Others saw it as a money-making opportunity.

But the people who snapped up outfits when the range was launched at Topshop two weeks ago in the hope of turning a quick profit on eBay have been disappointed.

An investigation has found that the skinny jeans, vest tops and cropped leather jackets that caused teenage mayhem at the Oxford Street store have been received with less enthusiasm by bargain hunters online.

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Right: Kate Moss as a mannequin in Topshop's Oxford Street store window

Of 50 items the Standard monitored, just 13 have made the seller any money.

Four garments made nothing, nine were sold at a loss and 24 failed to sell.

Among the loss-making garments were a limited-edition £195 blue and purple dress,which made just £172.77 at auction, and a pansy playsuit dress that failed to meet its reserve - the shop price of £45.

Topshop spokesman Andrew Leah said eBay sales were not a true reflection of the range's popularity.

He said: "The collection only has a handful of limited-edition numbers.

"The rest is widely available at stores all over the world, from Russia to Malaysia. It would therefore not attract the same hype on eBay as the limitededition collections we have seen in other high street stores in the past year."

Designer collections for H&M by Madonna, Viktor and Rolf and Stella McCartney all caused stampedes and within hours of the garments hitting the shelves, online traders were selling some for triple the retail price.

Mr Leahy said this was due to exclusivity. "If there are only 100 jumpers on sale, or 300 dresses, it immediately makes that product more desirable," he said.

"The best thing about the Kate Moss clothes is they are not going to run out and there is a continual stream of new garments and fresh designs from Kate coming into the store.

"Stella McCartney and Madonna were very popular with traders because there was no restriction on the number of garments you could buy. If a trader was clever he could buy 30 jumpers, reducing the available stock on the shelves and making people bid more to get their hands on one. I don't think that is a very fair way to operate."

Topshop attempted to protect the Kate Moss range from online touts by allowing each customer just 20 minutes in the store. They were also only allowed to buy five items each. Mr Leahy said: "We do not see the lack of people profiteering as a slight. In fact, we are delighted.

"The range was intended to be affordable and available for everyone."

The biggest eBay fashion mark-ups in the past month came on Sainsbury's £5 Anya Hindmarch bag.

Some sold for more than £400 online, a mark-up of 8,000 per cent.